Sharing Wheels Community Bike ShopLearn to fix the most common problem with your bike. A flat tire can leave you stranded, or keep your bike unused for months (or years?) We will teach you all you need to know to fix a flat, plus answer other basic maintenance questions. Suggested donation $5. PRE-REGISTRATION required.
By Executive Director Christy Cowley
Thanks to our volunteers and community support, Sharing Wheels served a huge need for healthy outdoor activity and affordable, personal transportation in 2020.
We couldn’t create community within our shop due to COVID limitations, so we built bikes and connections in new ways. Volunteers took bikes home to clean and fix. Local nonprofits helped us match bikes with adults and kids who needed them. Our board met monthly via Zoom. Donations of time, bikes and cash kept us rolling despite a difficult year.
Bike Sales: While retail bike shops ran low on inventory, quality donations kept us stocked with a huge variety of bike styles, sizes, and prices. We loved helping new riders buy a bike to fit their needs and budget. 246 bikes.
Kids Bikes: Instead of the annual Kids Bike Swap and Christmas House events, we matched bikes with families directly, and partnered with other nonprofits to distribute bikes to low income kids. 194 bikes.
DIY Shop Use: Our free self-help station was moved out to the garage due to COVID shop limits. That made it harder for people to access our tools and advice. 75% of our 129 users bike for transportation and report low income.
115 people spent 2,615 hours helping in the shop and from their own garages. Boeing, Microsoft, & F5 Networks gave $2,500 to match employee efforts.
Top Volunteers: Larry Williamson, Bruce McLachlin, John Kasey, Don Sperlin, Dave Fox, Claudia Douglass, Patrick Sullivan. More than 100 hours each.
Individual donations doubled this year thanks to spring and year-end campaigns. Donations were needed because shop activity and revenue were reduced due to COVID. 71 people gave $50 or more.
Grants: City of Everett Community Development Block Grant, Everett Port Gardner Rotary, Stillaguamish Tribe.
Repair Classes: We managed to teach several small, in-person bike mechanic classes. We also started mini-courses for mechanical volunteers. 25 students.
Adult Earn-A-Bike: We taught 12 formerly homeless or at-risk adults to fix a flat, gave them a fully-equipped refurbished bike, and took them on their first ride. “This is the best bike I’ve ever owned,” said a grateful 80-year-old recipient.
Velo Art Contest: While most events were canceled, we started something new to put our excess new and used parts to creative use. 6 artists, lots of fun!
Actual income and expenses for 2020.
| Bike Sales | $43,899 |
| Parts Sales | $11,951 |
| Donations | $36,054 |
| Grants | $9,665 |
| Repairs | $3,466 |
| Online Sales | $6,205 |
| Total | $111,790* |
| Staff | $80,895 |
| Bike Parts | $10,680 |
| Rent | $7,850 |
| Insurance, Fees | $4,000 |
| Adminstrative | $4,350 |
| Other Shop Costs | $9,680 |
| Total | $117,455* |
Kristin Kinnamon, President
Steve Erickson, Treasurer
Drew Ellison, Secretary
Claudia Douglass, Member
Bruce McLachlin, Member
Scott Schmitz, in memoriam
Christy Cowley, Executive Director
Alain Warchilde, Shop Manager
Would you like to practice and improve your bike mechanic skills? Sharing Wheels Community Bike Shop is starting a series of Sunday work parties for volunteers to learn bike maintenance while helping to refurbish donated bicycles. The first work party and training is 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 17. Volunteers will get oriented and give input on best times for future class sessions to complement the work parties. Pizza will be provided.
Attendees should have basic bike knowledge – such as fixing flats and lubing chains, or past experience helping with our kids bike programs. More experienced home and shop bike mechanics are also encouraged to attend – to learn more or help teach others.
Each session will cover a new bike maintenance skill which will be practiced while fixing up Sharing Wheels bicycles.
Ultimately, volunteers who attend all sessions will receive training equivalent to an advanced mechanics class – a $100 value. Space is limited, so volunteers are asked to sign up in advance on the Sharing Wheels website.
Additional adult bike work parties are scheduled for Sundays, Feb. 24 through March 24, except no work party March 10. Volunteers who put in at least 10 hours will be invited to a special Advanced Mechanics course in April.
Space is limited, so advance signup is required.
We are working on a new WordPress website, but that’s nothing compared to these upcoming events:
Grand Avenue, Everett
Call or email to register: 425-252-6952